Before Herot
by Animecheetah
Summary: This is a collection of short stories from Grendel's Childhood and up to Grendel's battle with Beowulf.
1. Chapter 1

**AnimeCheetah:** Okay, this was once an extra credit assignment for my British Literature class. I hope you like it.

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><p><span>Before Herot:<span> **Grendel's Hatred Begins**

Giant trees stretch out their branches every which way, long thriving ivy clothing the mighty trees. Flying, buzzing and many legged and eyed creatures mingled around the tangled and gnarled roots, in which they make their homes. Putrid, bubbling water scoured the land trapping the area in its forever moist web. Thin fog wandered through, trapped for infinity, howling like souls of the lost and deceased.

Shacking, trembling in fear the ground shook from the Monsters' Cain inherited malice. The giant trees moaned aloud in protest, never having liked Cain's brood in their domain. The residents retreated away from the swamp waters unforgiving wrath. Retreating they ran and flew to, hopefully, the safety of their root dwellings, away from the creatures who were now emerging from their underwater haven.

The smaller one first appeared with moonlight reflecting off its sleek scales and glittering like a diamond in each of its silver eyes. Paws (the size of a standard sized notebook) sprang out of the murky depths and hauled its large body up and out onto the muddy land. Armor like enchanted dark green scales covered the monstrosity's long slender form, and sword like claws provided perfect traction on the slippery muck. Long armored ears hung about the creature like hair, defining the creatures half human, half beast face. Upon opening its giant maw for a yawn, moonlight glittered off thousands of godforsaken razor sharp teeth like strobe lights. It waited there silently, eyes locked onto the water's edge and a smile played on it's lips as they parted to form the words, "Mother!"

Even the water seemed to tremble, upon hearing the young one's call. A moment more passed before s human head broke the surface, long black hair flowing behind. It was followed by a neck and the slender torso of a woman. The giant trees screamed out in terror as the temptress emerged to follow her vile son of Cain. As the temptress came further onto land her slender torso became armored with dark green, almost black scales, which led into a lower half mirroring her sons. She towered over her son, coming halfway up to the giant trees. The Temptress smiled down at her excited son. It was rare she allowed him to visit the surface world. She didn't consider herself over protective, but with her sons large ears she wanted to be careful. Tonight was special though, "Are you ready to see your father, Grendel?"

Grendel nodded enthusiastically. It was even rarer than coming to the surface was, "Yes Mother!"

"Good. Now, follow and stay close to me my son." the Temptress replied maternally and took off through the swamp. Every now and then she would glance over her shoulder to check on Grendel, but sure enough he was keeping close. They ran to the edge of the vast swamp and there a man dressed in black was waiting. "Greetings my love, Cain,"

Cain smiled, black eyes slowly looking over the Temptress in front of him, before turning to regard his son, Grendel. "Greetings my son,"

Grendel could barley contain his excitement, a grin ran from ear to ear, "Hello Father!"

"Tell me my son" Cain began his voice as smooth as silk, "how far can you hear with your…marvelous ears?"

Grendel cocked his head to the side. How far could he hear? He shifted his gaze to the distance, remaining silent. The moments passed, and with each passing minute Cain grew more and more impatient, tapping his foot on the ground.

"Grendel why –" Cain began irritably before his son interrupted him.

"I hear…voices and loud noises."

"Grendel don–" the Temptress began berating her son, but was silence by Cain's a brief glare in her direction from Cain. The steady beating of Cain's foot ceased, and crossed his arms over his chest.

"You are hearing what the humans call music, my son, and their loud boasting. Have you ever crossed paths with human before?"

"Aren't you a human Father?"

"I am more than just a human my dear boy." Cain chuckled before moving on. "The humans live in settlements far from here. If they come close enough, that their noise hurts your marvelous ears, I want you to hunt them down and eat them for your dinner."

"Do they not like me?"

"They loath your very existence Grendel,"

"Why?"

"It is the humans' nature to do so. Those humans have already murdered your brothers and sisters in the sea countless times." Cain's smile grew at Grendel's enraged expression and added, "but fear not my son, I will give you a very special gift." Cain paused to mutter some latin words before addressing Grendel again, "I have placed a spell upon you, which will protect you from the humans crude weaponry."

"Thank you Father." Grendel muttered, his excitement stolen from his body by his father's dark revelation.

"You're Welcome." Cain's smile now went from ear to ear. He'd successfully planted the seed of hatred with his son. His job was done. "Now, I must leave. Take care my love and son."

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><p>AN: So, how'd you all like it? Please Review with some feedback for this.


	2. Chapter 2

Before Herot: First Encounter

The tree's shrieked in horror as the wind howled in mourning. The smaller, weaker animals hid within the safety of their burrows. They cringed each time the sickening crack of bones breaking and shattering resounded through the almost silent forest. Only the fearless crows chattered as they watched from their high tree branch perches; eager as they were to take part in the fresh kill, the crow clan wisely waited for the adolescent abomination to eat his full and move on.

Blood dripping from its giant maw, the monster craned his head upwards to fix his glare on the nearest crow. They always came. They always chattered and sat just out of his range so he couldn't eat them as well. As much as the crow clan annoyed him, he was a little thankful to the birds. Only a little bit thankful because they were his cleanup crew.

"Grendel!" they cawed, "Grendel, aren't you done yet?"

In response Grendel lowered his maw back to the dead dear. Thousands of razor sharp, blood stained teeth stopped inches from the dead deer. Slowly Grendel raised his head and peered through the forests trees, his long hair-like ears positioned forward a bit as bits of sound reached his long ears. A beautiful, but sad voice reached his long ears. He'd heard it once before, but had never followed it to see who owned the voice. Picking up a near by rock with his long scaly tale, Grendel chucked the rock at the closest crow. The crow easily avoided the rock, but Grendel didn't see it. He was already running through the forest towards the far away voice.

The beautiful, but sad voice had led Grendel through the forest. It led him through open land and as the golden sun sank into the coming black of night Grendel arrived at a small village and mead hall. It reminded him of the small village closer to his home, but minus the mead hall. The village closer to his home hadn't built one yet. Cautiously Grendel made his was over to the hall. The voice was coming from it. As Grendel neared it, what he saw made him crouch low and hide in the halls shadow: a young girl stood outside the hall by a burned out pyre fire crying. Grendel stayed and watched the girl.

He knew it would be futile to try and communicate with her. He had tried a few times before, but rarely did they understand him. Grendel had barely caught this child's voice on the wind and for once was glad to have his long ears. They had led him to see this beautiful weeping child. Suddenly, the girl began to look around. Grendel eyed the girl curiously. Could she sense his presence? Then the clouds shifted and the moon goddess bathed Grendel in her soft light. Yes. Now the girl could see him clearly in the moonlight. Her feature shifted from confusion to horrible terrified recognition. She was facing a monster. A blood stopping screamed leaped from her mouth a second later. By the time the armed men and the girl's older brother rushed outside, Grendel was long gone.


	3. Chapter 3: Why?

**Animecheetah**: I realize this chapter is annoyingly short *sighs* it seemed longer before I typed it up.

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><p><strong>Before Herot<strong>: _Why?_

Cold and chilling the hard stone floor hugged the young male monster. He'd stayed in the cave, he shared with his mother all afternoon. His yellow eyes burned into the stone wall like a searchlight. And indeed, Grendel was searching for something. Something which could explain to him why he was feared so. He didn't understand how he could inspire so much fear in the humans. Grendel saw the young girls face again, twisted in uncontrolled horror. He again heard her blood freezing scream. Grendel groaned aloud and turned onto his other side. He couldn't gasp how jut his appearance could stir so much trouble for the human child.

Now he face his mother's sleeping form. Even in old age she could still tempt a hundred mortal men. Her once beautiful long onyx hair was now a startlingly vibrant shade of silver, which (in his opinion) made the temptress seem more alluring than before. She slept curled up like some sort of feline, her monster feet buried beneath her monstrous lower half and her long tail was wrapped around her entire body. In her old age, though his mother had been sleeping more and more often. It was as if the trek out of their underground home was proving too difficult for her, even though one way was quicker than the other. Grendel had even see her out of breath (for the fist time) when she'd returned by the way of the swamp water the other day. Until then, he'd though his mother to be invincible.

The humans must have been at fault for this. Grendel could think of nothing else that would cause his mother to act this way. They must have placed some sort of curse upon her. Yes. That had to be the answer. Sudden anger flared in the adolescent monstrosity. Why would they curse his mother? Why would the humans fear her that much? Yes, she killed and entranced the men (and certain women) folk of the near by villages. Though she only killed enough for them both to survive. Did the humans not do the same thing with the animals of the forest and swamp? Yes, they did. Why then do they hate us? Why do they fear us? They've killed our kind before. The humans are the murderers, who killed our kin in the oceans deep. His father, Cain, had told him so on a rare visitation.

Grendel groaned aloud again, banging his head against the floor a couple times. There were too many questions floating around in his head. He slammed his head into the stone floor once more, the stone starting to crack a little upon impact. There also so few answers, which (he knew) would only bring more questions. He would ask his mother whenever she awoke from her slumber. His own yellow eyes began to close, his head stinging a bit from colliding with the stone floor. Would a nap help to pass the time until his mother would wake? Yes, yes it would…


End file.
